Tips on how to create a compelling job ad

Create a job Ad that has one ultimate purpose: to compel readers to hit the “APPLY NOW” button.

Your ad needs to make the applicant feel excited about the prospect of being in the role they were reading about.

·        Keep the job's requirements clear and realistic.

·        Use strong verbs to describe the job's responsibilities.

·        You want to write a job ad that consistently drives candidates to fill out an application.

‍

Of  course, you also want qualified applicants --  people that meet your requirements. To get  them, you need them to read    

the entire job description before deciding if this position is  a match for what they're looking for.

‍

Before candidates settle into your ad, they’re first going to scan it. And if it’s not formatted using big, bold, clear, and concise subheads to make the scanning process effortless, they’ll move on.

‍

The easier your job ad is to scan, the more likely it is to garner (and hold) readers' attention -- attention that ultimately leads to action.

‍

 Here’s how to attract the right people to your open position:

1. Study your target candidate.

You might've heard that people buy on emotion first, and then rationalize their purchases using logic.

Applying for a job, in that sense, is a lot like making a purchase. Pressing the “APPLY NOW” button is an emotionally charged decision.

When writing your job ad, tap into those emotions by learning everything you can about your target candidate (i.e., the person you want to be interviewing). What are his or her professional goals and aspirations? What makes him or her happy?

2. Optimize the job title with the keywords that candidate is using.

Every day, the job hunt leads millions of people to search millions of keywords. This makes SEO very important to the recruitment process, especially when writing job ads. Post the position under a recognizable ,keyword-friendly title, as that’s what candidates will be searching.

3. Start with a company summary.

Open your job ad's main text copy with a “Company Summary” paragraph. But don't simply paste your business's "About Us" boilerplate description into your job listing. Your "Company Summary" should help to put the job for which you're hiring into context for the applicant.

 If you summarize your company in a way that resonates with your ideal candidate, you'll set yourself up to dive right into the job description itself. But don't be fooled: The best job descriptions can't simply be packaged into a second paragraph following the Company Summary above.

Describe your open position using subheads, or sections, in this order:

Benefits

Requirements

Responsibilities

4. Concisely describe the job's benefits.

Every ad must start with a concise description, or overview, of the role. It should be snappy and compelling -- just be sure to complement the clear, quick explanation of the role with the job’s big-picture benefits as well.

People inherently want to be part of something bigger than themselves. Appeal to that desire by helping candidates envision the impact of their work.

5. Summarize the benefits package.

Now that you have the candidate’s attention, draw him or her deeper into the ad with a section dedicated to the other benefits: your company’s benefits package

6. Keep the job's requirements clear and realistic.

This section will be your ad’s most sterile, so don’t close with it. Stick it in the middle, sandwiched between two sections that highlight promise and opportunity.

7. Use strong verbs to describe the job's responsibilities.

Responsibilities are the job. They’re the work, and the paycheck. But responsibilities can also generate excitement and promise in a passionate candidate.

‍